1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the construction for an articulating portion of articulated railway cars or the like, and more specifically, to the construction for the articulating portion of the articulated cars of a type formed by pivotably coupling front and rear bodies connected one after another by a truck interposed therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, such a conventional articulating portion of articulated cars has been constructed as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.
That is, side wall panels c, c and d, d respectively protrude from an end wall portion of passages or openings h, h of bodies a, b connected one after another longitudinally, toward the longitudinal center portion between said bodies a, b and a cross section of a pair of front and rear side wall panels c, d are formed in a circular arc bending to the outside laterally of the body as shown in the drawing, the radii of curvature of the circular arcs being differing from each other. In the drawing, the radius of curvature of an upper side or the front body a is smaller than that of a lower side or the rear body b.
Inside these pair of side wall panels c, d, rigid side walls e are provided respectively. The rigid side walls e are held on a truck (not shown) between the bodies a,b and arranged to span the pair of side wall panels c, d. On the front and rear edges of the rigid side walls e, rubber protrusions f, f are disposed to contact the inner surface of the side wall panels c, d.
Meanwhile, on the upper portions of the side wall panels c, d, quarter-spherical ceiling panels g, g protruding from the passage openings h, h toward the longitudinal center portion between two bodies a, b are disposed in different heights. Under the ceiling panels g, g and adjacent to the underside thereof, ceiling rigid walls (not shown) extending upwardly from the upper edges of the rigid side walls e, e are disposed.
However, in such a construction, the following disadvantages have occurred.
That is, when the articulated cars approach the track which is curved within the vertical plane, a positional relationship between the side wall panels c, d--and the ceiling panels g, g changes considerably in a vertical direction, resulting in such a disorder as damaging the rubber protrusions f, f and causing various problems.
Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, these problems will be explained as follows:
FIG. 12 shows a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of articulating portion when the articulated cars are on the track which is curved within the level (within the plane parallel to the drawing), and sunk within the vertical plane (within the plane normal to the drawing).
In this case, the circular arc centers 01, 02 of a pair of front and rear side wall panels c, d are shifted outside (leftside in FIG. 12) of the curve within the level of the track, from the point of intersection of lateral center lines 1, m of the bodies a, b, or the truck center 0. Therefore, a tip portion i of the side wall panel c located inside the curve is just about the contact a bent portion or radius starting portion j of the corresponding side wall panel d as shown in the drawing. Also, a front rubber protrusion f1 of the rigid wall e inside the curve is pressed and bent strongly by the inner surface of a bent portion or radius starting portion k of the side wall panel c, and biased in an excessively compressed state. The biased state of these rubber protrusions f--is, in FIG. 12, gradually eased in order from the right lower side f2 to left upper side f3 and left lower side f4, but still, if such biased state is repeated as time elapses, the rubber protrusions f--will be damaged gradually.
On the other hand, FIG. 13 shows a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of articulated portion, when the articulated cars are on the track which is curved within the level and raised within the vertical plane.
In this case, circular arc centers 01, 02 of the pair of side wall panels c, d are, contrary to the case of FIG. 12, shifted inside the curve (right side in FIG. 13) within the level of the track from the truck center 0. Therefore, the rubber protrusions f1, f2 of the rigid side wall e inside the curve are isolated from the inner surface of the side wall panels c, d and form a large gap therebetween as shown in the drawing.
Meanwhile, the rubber protrusions f3, f4 outside the curve also fail to maintain a proper biased state against the inner surface of the side wall panels c, d, whereby the tips of rubber protrusions f3, f4 are easily turned over and gaps are formed therebetween.
Where the track rises or descends vertically, the variation in width of a gap between the side wall panels c, d is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom.
Furthermore, when the articulated cars are on the track sinking within the vertical plane, the gap between the ceiling panes g, g and edges of the ceiling rigid wall thereunder is larger than that on the usual flat track. On the other hand, when the articulated lorries are on the track rising within the vertical plane, the gap between the ceiling panels g, g and the ceiling rigid wall conversely becomes smaller than usual in a nearly contacting state.
On the track sinking or rising within the vertical plane as such, the gap between the rubber protrusions f--and the side wall panels c, d, or between the ceiling rigid wall and the ceiling g, g becomes larger or smaller and the two respective members draw abnormally away or near with respect to each other, thereby causing such various problems as, (1) deteriorating appearance, (2) occurrence of such trouble as catching a passenger's fingers and other objects in the gap, (3) accumulating dusts inside the articulated structure from the gap, and (4) catching a car fire by a lit cigarette and match or the like thrown in by vandalism.